Mandevilla plant named ‘Lannorthcarolina’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Lannorthcarolina’, characterized by its upright and twining plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; large glossy dark green-colored leaves; and large pink-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LANNORTHCAROLINA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lannorthcarolina’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Malause, France. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new upright Mandevilla plants with largeleaves and flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Malause, France in June, 2009 of Mandevilla hybrida‘Sunmandeho’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,556, as the female, orseed parent with a proprietary selection of Mandevilla hybridaidentified as code number 06-823-01, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inMalause, France in June, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Malause, France, since December,2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Lannorthcarolina’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lannorthcarolina’ as a newand distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Upright and twining plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Large glossy dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Large pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Sunmandeho’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily fromplants of ‘Sunmandeho’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more upright than and not as        vining as plants of ‘Sunmandeho’.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have shorter internodes than        plants of ‘Sunmandeho’.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunmandeho’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Sunmandeho’ have yellowish        white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger leaves than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants ofMandevilla sanderi ‘Lanarizona’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.23,672. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Malause, France, plantsof the new Mandevilla differed primarily from plants of ‘Lanarizona’ inflower color as plants of ‘Lanarizona’ have white-colored flowers. Inaddition, plants of the new Mandevilla had shorter internodes and weremore upright than and not as vining as plants of ‘Lanarizona’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Lannorthcarolina’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowerbuds and open flowers of ‘Lannorthcarolina’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring in 17-cm containersin polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Malause, France and under culturalpractices typical of Mandevilla commercial production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 26° C.and night temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 15° C. Plants were sixmonths old when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida ‘Lannorthcarolina’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandeho’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,556.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla            hybrida identified as code number 06-823-01, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at 23° C. to            30° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at 23° C.            to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five to            six weeks at 23° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six to            eight weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; light yellowish white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and twining plant habit;            moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 85 cm.        -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 29.8 cm.        -   Branch description.—Branching habit: Not freely branching;            pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length: About            85 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 5.6 cm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; luster,            moderately glossy. Color, developing:. Close to 144B. Color,            developed: Close to 175A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 14.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 8.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong.        -   Apex.—Abruptly acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; luster,            glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker than 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B.            Full expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between            143A and 147A; venation, close to 146C. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation, close to            145A.        -   Petiole length.—About 6 mm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers            arranged in axillary cymes; flowers star-shaped and face            mostly upright and outwardly; freely flowering habit with            about 13 flowers developing per inflorescence and about 39            flowers developing per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            early summer into the autumn in France.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven days; flowers not            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 23.1 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 17.2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Shape: Narrowly obovate. Color: Close to 145C to 145D;            towards the base, close to 144C; towards the apex, close to            54A to 54B.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused and            five-parted. Diameter: About 11 cm. Depth (length): About            6.9 cm. Tube length: About 5 cm.        -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a            single whorl and fused toward the base. Petal length: About            10.2 cm. Petal width: About 4.1 cm. Petal shape and            appearance: Roughly spatulate; lower 50% of the petal is            fused. Petal apex: Non-symmetrically acute. Petal margin:            Entire. Petal texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            moderately velvety. Petal texture, lower surface: Smooth,            glabrous; luster, slightly glossy. Throat and tube texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 73C; towards the throat,            close to 64C; throat, close to 15A; venation, close to N57B.            Petal, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 73C; towards the tube, lighter than 73C; tube, close to            145B; at the base of the tube, close to 144C.        -   Corona.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a            single whorl. Sepal length: About 5 mm. Sepal width: About            2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Narrowly            acuminate. Sepal base: Roughly truncate. Sepal margin:            Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Sepal color: Immature, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 143B; margins, close to 180A. Mature, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144C; margins, close to 180C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 16.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Color: Close to between 143B and 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Color: Close to 143C; proximally, tinged with close to 153A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:            Typically five; basifixed; anthers connivent. Filament            length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther            length: About 7 mm. Anther color: Close to 160B to 160C.            Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity: Typically            one. Pistil length: About 2.5 cm. Style length: About            2.2 cm. Style color: Close to 1458. Stigma shape: Sagittate.            Stigma color: Close to 144C. Ovary color: Close to 144C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Mandevilla.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not    been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Mandevilla plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    observed to tolerate high temperatures of about 40° C. and to be    hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 9.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named‘Lannorthcarolina’ as illustrated and described.